Baraka's unsuccessful council candidates get city jobs: The Auditor

Newark Mayor Ras Baraka has given City Hall jobs to the only two council candidates who ran on his slate but didn’t win.

Back in August, Patrick Council — who unsuccessfully ran for an at-large council seat on team Baraka back in May — was named to head the city’s Department of Parks and Recreation.

Council joined Luis Lopez — an unsuccessful North Ward council candidate and the only other Barakaite to lose. Lopez was named deputy mayor of community engagement in July. He was hired in July for a $43,987 salary, while Council was hired in August with a $136, 599 salary, records show.

Baraka says both are qualified, noting that Council was the Director of Recreation at Newark Public Schools and former school board president. Lopez is the former principal of Roberto Clemente Elementary School and founded the Roberto Clemente Baseball League and, according to a statement from Baraka, has been "dedicated to community engagement for the 40 years he has lived here."

“Every person selected in my administration was chosen because of their skills and ability,” Baraka said.